Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D., (R-Lafayette) today met with Governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin and other state and local officials to discuss the Road Home program.

 

“Louisianans recovering from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina need an honest and fair assessment of what they can expect from the state,” Boustany said. “Governor Blanco has a responsibility to be open about the Road Home program and should provide Congress with specific requests. Congress deserves to know what the money will be used for- levees, rebuilding, coastal restoration, etc. We need answers from the Governor.”

 

This is the first time Governor Blanco has met individually with Boustany in Washington since the hurricanes of 2005 devastated Louisiana. Boustany helped secure funding and fought burdensome bureaucracy in the aftermath of both storms, ensuring those recovering and those assisting them had necessary resources. His leadership in the aftermath allowed communities to rebuild and individuals to move forward. Since the hurricanes, Congress has appropriated more than $120 billion for the recovery effort.

 

Created by Governor Blanco, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, and the Office of Community Development, the Road Home program is the largest single housing recovery program in American history. To date, the program has helped more than 60,000 families, but tens of thousands still have yet to receive any assistance. Projected funding shortfalls in the program are estimated between $3 and 4 billion. However, the Governor’s office has been unable to provide a more specific figure.

 

“We have a duty to those families and communities affected by both storms, and I urge the Governor to remember Southwest Louisiana and Hurricane Rita when talking about storm damage and destruction.”

 

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